FRESH ROMANCE #8
In Purple Love Balloon, a charming tale by Marcy Cook, Maya Kern, and Maddie Gonzalez, we’ll follow lovers through a carnival as they chase down a balloon.
In Don’t Break Up The Party, Jen Van Meter, Kyle Latino, and Marissa Louise present us with the final days of an epic D&D campaign as a secret crush starts to weave its way from the real world into the game!
Plus, Purple Love Balloon writer Marcy Cook discusses what it was like to write a comic for the first time and the creators of Don’t Break Up The Party sit down for a roundtable chat!
A comiXologist recommends, from Kate Leth, Megan Levens, and Marissa Louise – SPELL ON WHEELS
Kate Leth is known for so many fun and fanciful titles like Edward Scissorhands, Bravest Warriors, and Girl Over Paris, that I was happy to take a look at the new Leth and Levens book out from Dark Horse this week: Spell on Wheels.
Three twenty-something witches who share a house in Northampton, Massachusetts have a pretty well set up coven. They have each other and they tattoo & tarot at music festivals to make ends meet. Each of the three has their own abilities to round out the team. Jolene (the tattooist) has technopathy and emotional manipulation. Claire (the Tarot Reader) has psychic intuition, visions, and obviously can read the truth of tarot cards. The youngest member of the coven is Andy, with her mastery over spellwork, charms, and potions. The best covens come in 3’s.
The trouble starts for the Spell on Wheels trio (I’m working on a better fan-made coven call sign) when their security broom is knocked over in their home and they sense it from half a state away. Some jerk named Nathan has broken into their home and is rifling through their spells and gear. Their house thoroughly ransacked and their stuff turning up all over the country when they search for it online, Jolene decides they should all pack-up and take to the road. There might even be some demon killing along the way.
I like this opening issue a lot. It has the charm and down-to-earth character work I associate with Kate Leth’s writing. Megan Levens art does so well to keep things in a grounded place that strengthens Leth’s intentions. Levens is a charming and solid choice for this project because there is certainly magic here, but it does such a nice job to keep us in the reality. Mystical elements are everywhere but we lose none of the gravity of everyday life. That is a sign of good witch fiction and this one only just started.
This book sets up what is the answer to my witch-themed prayers. Kate Leth and Megan Levens have a fun and fresh read that couldn’t have come at a better time with Halloween around the corner!
Matty Boo is a spooky ghost pirate currently haunting the halls of ComiXology and might go watch the Craft. Fairuza Balk is awesome.